# Pearl Harbor - 75 Years Later **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 5, 2016, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pearl-harbor-75-years-later/773911 "2016-12-05T06:22:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2016, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pearl-harbor-75-years-later/773911/1 "2016-12-05T06:22:39Z")
History Channel is running a special on the early aftermath of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. It focuses on what the world’s leaders were doing and how they learned of the attack. I didn’t realize how poor communication was between the White House and Hawaii. Roosevelt had to be briefed repeatedly as information came into the War Dept. There was concern that the link to Hawaii wasn’t secure. The military didn’t want to transmit exact details on the battle damage. They were afraid the Japanese were listening. Roosevelt spent most of Dec 7 getting specific details. The fog of war was very thick that day. Roosevelt personally wrote his speech. Overriding Secretary of State, Cordell Hull who wanted a much longer speech. There’s so much historical detail in this special. I highly recommend watching it. It should air through Dec 7. I watched it this weekend. “Dec 7, A Date Which Will Live in Infamy”: FDR 2,403 Americans died and 1,178 were wounded ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2016, 8:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pearl-harbor-75-years-later/773911/2 "2016-12-05T08:18:16Z")
I haven’t heard much said about Admiral James Richardson. He protested too loudly against moving the Fleets HQ from San Diego to Pearl Harbor. He was relieved of command Feb 1941 and replaced by Kimmel. Pearl Harbor was attacked months later, Dec 7, 1941. Richardson was absolutely right. He knew Pearl Harbor would be a easy first target. He tried hard to warn military command and Roosevelt. > **[James O. Richardson](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_O._Richardson)** > > James Otto Richardson (18 September 1878 – 2 May 1974) was an admiral in the United States Navy who served from 1902 to 1947. > As commander in chief of the United States Fleet (CinCUS), Richardson protested the redeployment of the Pacific portion of the fleet to Pearl Harbor. He believed that a forward defense was neither practical nor useful, and that the Pacific Fleet would be a logical first target in the event of war with Japan. He was relieved of command in February 1941. His concerns prove... > [@](#): > > As Commander in Chief, United States Fleet (CinCUS), he protested against the redeployment of the Pacific portion of the fleet forward to Pearl Harbor, believing that a forward defense was neither practical nor useful, and that the Pacific Fleet would be the logical first target in the event of war with Japan, vulnerable to air and torpedo attacks. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2016, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pearl-harbor-75-years-later/773911/3 "2016-12-05T15:20:56Z")
The problem is Admiral Richardson’s prediction was only obviously true in retrospect. There were other people at the time, just as qualified, who were making other predictions. Some said that moving the fleet to Hawaii would deter the Japanese and prevent a war. ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2016, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pearl-harbor-75-years-later/773911/4 "2016-12-05T17:08:37Z")
When I was a young lad, Pearl Harbor was not ancient history. People paid attention to Pearl Harbor Day. It got a fair amount of press. But, then, I grew up a scant 20 years after it happened. Over my lifetime, the scars of that episode have faded. By the period 30 years post-attack, Japan had become our biggest trading partner. One can hope that by 2031, we might manage to move beyond our current obsession with 9/11/2001.